Compartmented shelf device



0, 1966 E. J. HESS 3,269,558

COMPARTMENTED SHELF DEVICE Filed July 2'7, 1964 United States Patent3,269,558, COMPARTMENTED SHELF DEVICE Elmer]. Hess, 4701 Linnea Lane,Hopkins, Minn. Filed July 27, 1964, Ser. No. 385,359 4 Claims. (Cl.211-184) This invention relates to a shelf device and more particularlyto a compartmented shelf structure having adjustable compartments.

An object of this invention is to provide a compartmented shelf devicefor use in supporting papers, books, oflice supplies and the like,wherein the compartments are defined by upstanding adjacent platesremovably mounted on a shelf base panel, and wherein each plate iscapable of being repositioned on the shelf base through turning of aplate, end for end, whereby each plate will be held in rigidupstandingrelation with respect to the shelf base panel when in one position, andeach plate being capable of sidewise wobbling movement when in the otherposition so that the shelf compartments may be of fixed or adjustablewidth.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel compartmentedshelf device of the class described wherein the shelf base panel isprovided with a plurality of slots therein for receiving attachment tabsof the upstanding compartment defining plates, and locking means forholding the compartment defining plates in rigid position relative tothe shelf panel in one position but being disposed out of engagingrelation with respect to the plates when the latter are in the otherposition.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a compaitmente-dshelf device which is especially adaptable for use in conjunction withconventional office desks, and preferably to be supported thereupon, theshelf device being arranged and constructed to provide additionalefficient storage and filing space for desk but while materially notreducing the normal working area of such a desk.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fullyappear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein like character references refer to thesame or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective View of my novel compa'rtmented shelfdevice;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken approximately along line 33 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken approximately along line 44 ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of one of the compartment definingplates;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of mycompartmented shelf device;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken approximately along line 7-7 ofFIG. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken approximately along line 88 ofFIG. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to FIGS. 1 through5, one embodiment of my novel compartmented shelf device, designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 10, is there shown. It is pointed outthat the compartmented shelf device 10, as illustrated, may be supportedupon a desk to provide additional storage and filing space withoutmaterially reducing the normal working area of the desk. When used inconjunction with other ofiice equipment or furniture, the embodiment ofa shelving device 10 illustrated may be supported along the frontlongitudinal marginal area of such a desk.

The shelf device 10 which is preferably constructed of asuitablemetallic material includes a substantially fiat base member or panel 11which, as'seen, is of substantially rectangular configuration. Referringnow to FIG. 3 it will be seen that the front and rearlongitudinalmarginal portions of the base panel 11 is bent to define downwardlyextending legs 12, the terminal'portions of these legs also being bentat substantially right angles to define support engaging foot elements13 whereby the base panel 11 is spaced above the support S such as adesk or the like.

The compartmented shelf device 10 also includes an upstanding backmember or panel 14 engaging the rear longitudinal edge of the base paneland disp'osed'in substantially right angular relation with respect tothe latter. It will be noted that the back panel 14 is also ofsubstantially fiat rectangular configuration and the ends thereof arebent at substantially right angles to define substantially flat,upstanding, generally rectangular end members or panels 15. The lowermarginal portion of the back panel 14 and the end panels 15 aresecured'to the marginal edges of the base panel 11 by any suitablesecuring means such as welding or the like.

The base panel 11, as best seen in FIG. 1, has a plurality ofsubstantially identical transversely extending, longitudinallyspaced-apart slots 16 therein which are arranged in a longitudinallyextending row adjacent the front longitudinal edge of the base panel.The base panel 11 is also provided with a plurality of similartransversely extending longitudinally spaced-apart slots 17 which arearranged in another row adjacent the rear longitudinal edge thereof. Itis pointed out that one of the slots 16 of the front row will bedisposed in substantially transverse alignment with one of the slots 17in the rear row thereof and it is also pointed out thatthe slots 16 and17 are of substantially the same size.

It will be seen that the compartments of the shelf device 10 are definedby a compartment defining plates 18 which are also preferablyconstructed of a suitable me tallic material and which, as seen, are ofsubstantially fiat, rectangular configuration. Referring to FIG. 3, itwill be seen that the compartment defining plates 18 are of a size totraverse the base panel 11 and it will also be seen that the compartmentdefining plates are generally arranged in side-by-side, substantiallyupstanding relation on the base panel 11.

Referring now to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the means for mountingeach compartment defining plate 18 in upstanding relation upon the basepanel 11 comprises engagement tabs 19 and 20 which, as seen, areintegrally formed with the plate 18 and depend from the lower edge 21 ofthe plate. Referring again to FIG. 5, it will be seen that theengagement tabs 19 and 20 have substantially the same longitudinaldimension but that the engagement tab 19 has a greater verticaldimension than the engagement tab 20. The engagement tabs 19 and 20 areinsertable into a selected pair of transversely aligned slots 16 and 17so that each' compartment defining plate may be positioned in upstandingrelation. It will be noted that the width of the compartments may bevaried by varying the spacing between adjacent compartment definingplates 18 so that the compartments may be adjusted to accom modatearticles of varying sizes. This adjustability of the compartments ispossible since each plate 18 is removable from a predetermined positionwith respect to the base panel 11 and can be inserted into any selectedpair of transversely aligned slots.

In some instances, it is desirable to have at least one of thecompartment defining plates 18 rigidly interrelated with respect to thebase panel 11 so that the compartment defined is of substantially fixedwidth. In other instances, it is desirable to have at least one of theplates 18 mounted on the base panel 11 in a manner to permit sidewisewobble of the plates 18 whereby a compartment defined by adjacent platesis of variable width.

To this end, means are provided for releasably locking each compartmentdefining plate in upstanding substantially normal relation with respectto the base panel 11 whereby such a panel is rigidly interrelated withrespect to the base panel. However, upon repositioning the plates 18upon the base panel 11, the plate may then be permitted to wobble fromside to side.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 it will be seen that this locking meansis comprised of an elongate, substantially channel-shaped locking member22 which includes a web portion 23 having a pair of leg portions 24integrally formed therewith and extending upwardly therefrom. The endsof the leg portions 24 are outturned and are secured to the lowersurface of the base panel 11 as by welding or the like adjacent thefront longitudinal edge of the base panel, as best seen in FIG. 3. Theweb portion 23 of the channel-shaped locking member 22 also has aplurality of substantially parallel transversely extending,longitudinally spaced-apart locking slots 25 therein which are arrangedin a row.

Each slot 25 in the channel-shaped locking member 22 is disposed invertical alignment or registering relation with one of the slots 17 inthe base panel 11 and the space between the web portion 23 and the basepanel 11 is such to permit a tab 19 to project through a pair ofvertically aligned slots 17 and 25 but is substantially larger than thevertical dimension of the engagement tab 20, as best seen in FIG. 4.Thus when the compartment defining plate 18 is disposed in the positionillustrated in FIG. 3, the engagement tab 19 will project downwardlythrough a slot 17 in the base panel 11 and through a slot 25 in thelocking member 22. It will be noted, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, thatthe slots 16 and 17 are of a size only slightly larger than thehorizontal cross sectional size of the engagement tabs 19 and 20.Similarly, the slots 25 are of substantially the same size as the slots16 and 17 so that when the plate 18 is in the position as illustrated inFIG. 3, the engagement tab 19 will cooperate with the locking member sothat there will be little, if any, sidewise wobbling movement of theplate.

However, if a plate is removed from its upstanding locked relation fromthe position, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and is turned end for end andthe engagement tabs 19 and are reinserted into a pair of transverselyaligned slots 16 and 17, the engagement tab 20 will not extend throughthe slot in the locking member since the engagement tab is ofinsufficient height to permit this relationship. Therefore since theslots 16 and 17 are slightly larger than the horizontal cross sectionalsize of the engagement tabs 19 and 20, limited sidewise wobblingmovement of the plate is possible as illustrated by the plate at theleft side, as viewed in FIG. 4.

This end to end turning of each wobble plate and reinsertion of theengagement tabs 19 and 20 into transversely aligned slots 16 and 17 ispossible since the spacing between the engagement tabs on a platecorrespond substantially to the spacing between a pair of transverselyaligned slots 16 and 17. The lower edge 21 of each compartment definingplate is disposed in engaging bearing relation with the upper surface ofthe base panel regardless of whether the plate is in rigid or wobblingrelation with respect to the base panel. It will be seen that when oneor both of a pair of compartment defining plates 18 are in wobblingrelation with respect to the base panel 11, the plates may be shiftedinto diverging relation with respect to each other to thereby veryeasily accommodate papers, documents or the like, wherein the papers ordocuments are positioned in the compartment upon one of their edges. Inthe embodiment shown the amount of swinging movement of a plate isapproximately fifteen degrees to either side of the vertical planenormal to the base panel 11. Thus when two adjacent plates are 4 mountedto permit sidewise wobble, the total adjustment would approximate thirtydegrees.

Although the locking member 22 illustrated in the embodiments of FIGS. 1to 5 comprises a single multislotted locking member which is fixedlyconnected to the lower surface of the base panel 11, it is pointed outthat a plurality of smaller slotted locking members may be providedwhich may be moved into and out of engaging relation with an engagementtab 19 and which are not necessarily fixed to the lower surface of thebase panel. Such removable locking members would correspondsubstantially to the shape of the locking member 22 but would be of alength having only one slot therein and would not be secured to thelower surface of the base panel 11. It is also pointed out that thelocking member 22 could be fixedly connected adjacent the frontlongitudinal edge of the base panel 11.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, it will be seen that a modified form10a of the compartment shelf device is there shown. This compartmentedshelf device 10a also includes a base panel 11a which is ofsubstantially flat, rectangular configuration and which is bent alongits front and rear longitudinal edges to define a pair of legs 12a, theterminal portions of which are also bent at right angles thereto todefine a pair of support engaging foot elements 130. An upstandingelongate back member or panel 14a is rigidly secured to the rearlongitudinal edge portion of the base panel 11 and this back panelmember has the respective ends thereof bent to define end members orpanels 15a, as best seen in FIG. 6. The base panel 11a is also providedwith a plurality of transversely extending, longitudinally spaced-apart,substantially parallel slots 16a arranged in a longitudinally extendingrow adjacent the front longitudinal edge thereof. Similarly, the basepanel 11a is also provided with a plurality of transversely extending,longitudinally spacedapart, substantially parallel slots 17a thereinarranged in a longitudinal row adjacent the rear longitudinal edgethereof. tical size and shape whereby the structure of the embodimentthus described is substantially identical to the corresponding structureof the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5.

Compartment defining plates 18a are provided and these plates are alsoof substantially flat, rectangular configuration each having engagementtabs 19a and 20a integrally formed therewith and depending from thelower edge 21a thereof. It will be noted, however, that the engagementtabs 19a and 20a are of substantially identical size and shape and thespacing between these engagement tabs correspond substantially to thespacing between the rows of slots in the base panel 11a. Therefore thecompartment defining plates 18a may be turned end for end, as in theembodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5.

However, it will be noted that the spacing between the engagement tab19a and the adjacent vertical edge 26a is substantially different thanthe spacing between the tab 20a and the associated adjacent verticaledge 27a of the plate 18a. Thus in each compartment defining plate 18a,the engagement ta=b 19a is offset a less distance from the adjacentvertical edge 26a than the offset distance between the engagement tab20a and the vertical edge 27a as best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8. With thisarrangement, when a compartment defining plate 18a is positioned on thebase panel 11a so that the edge 26a is disposed adjacent the back panel14a, the spacing between this vertical'edge and the back panel will bedifferent than when the edge 27a is disposed rearmost, as best seen inFIGS. 7 and 8. i

The embodiment of FIGS. 6 to 8 is also provided with locking means whichmay be selectively engaged by a compartment defining plate 18a to permita fixed or wob bling relation of each compartment defining plate 18awith respect to the base panel 11a. This locking means comprises anelongate, generally channel-shaped locking member 22a including aV-shaped portion 23a having leg The slots 16a and 17a are ofsubstantially idenportions 24a integrally formed therewith andprojecting outwardly therefrom. It will be noted that the leg portions24a are rigidly alfixed to the front surface of the back panel 14a as bywelding or the like to dispose the lo king member 22a in substantiallyparallel relation with respect to the base panel 11a.

It will also be noted that the locking member 221 is positioned mediallyof the height of the back panel 140-. The V-shaped portion 23a of thelocking member 22a is provided with a plurality of vertically extending,substantially parallel slots 25a therein, each slot 25a lying in avertical plane passing through a pair of transversely aligned slots 16aand 17a and substantially normal to the base panel 11a.

The V-shaped portion 23a projects forwardly from'the back panel 14: adistance sufiicient to permit insertion of the marginal portion of acompartment defining plate 18a into one of the slots 25a thereof whenthe vertical edge 27a of the plate 18a is disposed rearmost. However,when the vertical edge 26a of a compartment defining plate 18a isdisposed rearmost it will be noted that this edge, as best seen in FIG.8, will be spaced slightly forwardly of the V-shaped portion 23a.Therefore when a compartment defining panel 18a is in the position asillustrated in FIG. 8, the panel may wobble slightly in a sidewisedirection since the engagement tabs 19a and 20a are of slightly smallerhorizontal cross sectional size than the slots 16a and 17a. On the otherhand, if a compartment defining plate 18a is in the position asillustrated in FIG. 7 then the rear vertical marginal portion of theplate 18a will engage in one of the slots a of the locking member 22a tolock the plate 18a in upstanding vertical relation with respect to thebase panel 11a. The amount of wobble of each plate 18a, when in theposition as illustrated in FIG. 8, is also approximately fifteen degreesto either side of the vertical.

It will therefore be seen from the foregoing that my novel compartmentedshelf device permits the compartments thereof to be readily adjustedwith respect to their widths whereby articles including otfice suppliesof varying sizes may be accommodated. As seen from the precedingparagraphs, this adjustability is possible because of the disengagementof the compartment defining plates from the base panel.

It will also be noted from the foregoing that each compartment definingplate may also be interrelated with the base panel in fixed or wobblingrelation therewith so that adjacent panels may be of fixed or variablewidth. A fixed or wobbling relation of each compartment defining platewith respect to the base panel may be readily accomplished by removing aplate from supported relation on the base panel and thereafter turningthe plate end-for-end and reinserting the engagement tabs thereof intotransversely aligned slots in the base panel.

Thus it will be seen from the foregoing description that I have provideda novel compartmented shelf device which is not only of simple andinexpensive construction, but one which functions in a more efiicientmanner than any heretofore known comparable device.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various partswithout departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable compartmented shelf .device for use in supportingpapers, books, office supplies and the like, said device comprising asubstantially flat, horizontally oriented, enlonga-te Ibase panelmember, a substantially flat back panel member connected with said basepanel member adjacent one longitudinal edge thereof and projectingupwardly at substantially right angles thereto, said base panel memberhaving a row of longitudinally spaced-apart transversely extending slotstherein adjacent one longitudinal edge thereof, and having another rowof longitudinally spaced apart transversely extending slots thereinadjacent the other respect to said base panel member and to space eachplate laterally from the next adjacent plate to define a filing spacetherebetween, said engagement tabs of each plate being shaped and sizedwith respect to the associated pair of slots to permit limited sidewisewobbling movement of each plate relative to said base panel memberwhereby adjacent of said plates define a compartment of adjustablewidth, and locking means on one of said base and back panel membersreleasably engageable with each plate to lock the same in substantiallyrigid upright right angular transversely extending relation with respectto said base panel member only when a plate is removed from the basepanel member and turned end-for-end from said first upright position andthe tabs thereof are inserted into a pair of transversely aligned slotsin said .rows of said panel member, the filing space defined between anadjacent pair of said plates being substantially vertically unobstructedto permit access to the filing space from above and between adjacentvertical edges of a pair of said plates. 2. The adjustable compartmentedshelf device as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said tabs of eachplate being off set from the adjacent vertical edge of the plate agreater distance than the off set distance of the other tab in the othervertical edge, and said locking means being mounted on said back panelmember and having slots engageable with each plate to lock the same insubstantially rigid upright angular, transversely extending relationwith respect to the base panel member only when a plate is removed fromthe base panel member and turned end-for'end from said first uprightposition and the tabs thereof are inserted into a pair of transverselyaligned slots in said rows of said base panel member. 3. Thecompartmented shelf device as declined in claim 2 wherein said lockingmeans comprises an elongate slotted member having vertically disposedslots therein each of which is disposed in a vertical plane extendingthrough a pair of said transversely aligned slots in said base panelmember and substantially normal to said base panel member. 7

4. An adjustable compartmented shelf device for use in supportingpapers, books, oflice supplies and the like, said device comprising asubstantially flat, horizontal oriented, elongate base panel member,said base panel member having a row of longitudinally spaced-aparttransversely extending slots therein adjacent one longitudinal edgethereof, and having another row of longitudinally space-aparttransversely extending slots the-rein adjacent the other longitudinaledge thereof, each slot in one row being disposed in substantiallytransverse alignment with the slots in the other row, a plurality ofgenerally rectangular, flat compartment defining plates each having apair of spaced-apart longitudinally aligned attachment tabs affixedthereto and projecting from one edge thereof, said tabs of each plateextending into a pair of transversely aligned slots of said row toorient each plate in generally upright transversely extending relationwith respect to said base panel member, and to space each platelaterally from the next adjacent plate to define a filing spacetherebetween, said engagement tabs of each plate being shaped and sizedwith respect to the associated pair of slots to permit limited sidewisewobbling movement of each plate relative to said panel member wherebyadjacent of said pla-tes define a compartment of adjustable width, andslotted locking means positioned below one of said rows of slots andbeing releasably engageable with the larger tab of each plate to lockthe same in substantially rigid upright right angular transverselyextending relation with respect to said base panel member only when aplate is removed from the base panel member and turned end-for-end fromsaid first upright position and the tabs thereof are inserted into apair of transversely aligned slots in said rows of said panel member,the filing space defined between an adjacent pair of said plates beingsubstantially vertically unobstructed to permit access to the filingspace from above 15 and between adjacent vertical edges of a pair ofplates.

References Cited by the Examiner 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTSGermany. Great Britain.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

W. D. LOULA N, Assistant Examiner.

4. AN ADJUSTABLE COMPARTMENTED SHELF DEVICE FOR USE IN SUPPORTINGPAPERS, BOOKS, OFFICE SUPPLIES AND THE LIKE, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING ASUBSTANTIALLY FLAT, HORIZONTAL ORIENTED, ELONGATE BASE PANEL MEMBER,SAID BASE PANEL MEMBER HAVING A ROW OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED-APARTTRANSVERSELY EXTENDING SLOTS THEREIN ADJACENT ONE LONGITUDINAL EDGETHEREOF, AND HAVING ANOTHER ROW OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACE-APARTTRANVERSELY EXTENDING SLOTS THEREIN ADJACENT THE OTHER LONGITUDINAL EDGETHEREOF, EACH SLOT IN ONE ROW BEING DISPOSED IN SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSEALIGNMENT WITH THE SLOTS IN THE OTHER ROW, A PLURALITY OF GENERALLYRECTANGULAR, FLAT COMPARTMENT DEFINING PLATES EACH HAVING A PAIR OFSPACED-APART LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED ATTACHMENT TABS AFFIXED THERETO ANDPROJECTING FROM ONE EDGE THEREOF, SAID TABS OF EACH PLATE EXTENDING INTOA PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY ALIGNED SLOTS OF SAID ROW TO ORIENT EACH PLATE INGENERALLY UPRIGHT TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAIDBASE PANEL MEMBER, AND TO SPACE EACH PLATE LATERALLY FROM THE NEXTADJACENT PLATE TO DEFINE A FILING SPACE THEREBETWEEN, SAID ENGAGEMENTTABS OF EACH PLATE BEING SHAPED AND SIZED WITH RESPECT TO THE ASSOCIATEDPAIR OF SLOTS TO PERMIT LIMITED SIDEWISE WOBBLING MOVEMENT OF EACH PLATERELATIVE TO SAID PANEL MEMBER WHEREBY ADJACENT OF SAID PLATES DEFINE ACOMPARTMENT OF ADJUSTABLE WIDTH, AND SLOTTED LOCKING MEANS POSITIONEDBELOW ONE OF SAID ROWS OF SLOTS AND BEING RELEASABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH THELARGER TAB OF EACH PLATE TO LOCK THE SAME IN SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID UPRIGHTRIGHT ANGULAR TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASEPANEL MEMBER ONLY WHEN A PLATE IS REMOVED FROM THE BASE PANEL MEMBER ANDTURNED END-FOR-END FROM SAID FIRST UPRIGHT POSITION AND THE TABS THEREOFARE INSERTED INTO A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY ALIGNED SLOTS IN SAID ROWS OFSAID PANEL MEMBER, THE FILING SPACE DEFINED BETWEEN AN ADJACENT PAIR OFSAID PLATES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY UNOBSTRUCTED TO PERMIT ACCESSTO THE FILLING SPACE FROM ABOVE AND BETWEEN ADJACENT VERTICAL EDGES OF APAIR OF PLATES.